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Former SCBA president Asma Jahangir (L) claps after unofficial result of presidential seat declared victory of Mian Israrul Haq (R) in Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for the year 2012-13 at Lahore High Court on Wednesday. – Photo by INP

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and the outgoing SCBA president among others felicitated both the candidates on their success.

Azad, in his message of felicitation to them, said that the victory was a manifestation of the confidence the legal fraternity had in their professional and leadership abilities.

He expressed the hope that during their tenure, the newly elected president and secretary SCBA would continue working for the betterment and welfare of lawyers' community.

Members of the Pakistan Bar Council also congratulated Mian Israrul Haq and Raja Javed Iqbal on their victory.

Speaking to media representatives, after unofficial results was out, Asma Jahangir advised the losing candidates to accept the results with dignity and pride.

Earlier, the polling of the SCBA’s annual elections for 2012-13 concluded peacefully.

Around 2,592 registered SCBA voters cast their vote at nine polling stations, one each was set up in Karachi, Hyderabad, Quetta, Peshawar, Abbottabad, Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur and Islamabad.

Former SCBA president Aitzaz Ahsan, Senator Kazim Khan and others voted from Lahore.

The SCBA body consists of one president, four vice-presidents (one from each province), a secretary, an additional secretary, a finance secretary and 14 members elected from throughout Pakistan (at least two from each province).

At least 57 candidates were contesting for 21 remaining slots except vice president Khyber Pakhtunkhwa slot who had been elected unopposed.

The slot of president is reserved for Punjab this year and three candidates were in the contest, including Ahmed Awais, Mian Israrul Haq and Zafarullah Khan.

Independent Democratic Group was supporting Haq for the presidential slot and it enjoyed the support of SCBA's former president Asma Jahangir and the outgoing president Yasin Azad. Whereas Ahmed Awais was backed by Hamid Khan Group.